Members of Your Party, the new leftwing party headed by Jeremy Corbyn, have voted narrowly in favour of a collective leadership model, handing a victory to former Labour MP Zarah Sultana. The result was announced on Sunday after a chaotic start to the party’s founding conference in Liverpool, overshadowed by a rift between Sultana and Corbyn.
The vote saw 51.6% in favour of the collective leadership model, with 48.4% against. Under this structure, a new member-led executive will make key decisions on party management and strategy, while a chair, deputy chair and spokesperson will provide public leadership. Sultana had boycotted the first day of the conference amid disagreements over how the party should be run, and Corbyn had previously expressed concerns that a collective approach could be confusing for the public.
Members also voted in favour of dual-membership of other political groups, another position advocated by Sultana. This vote is significant given the internal conflict, which included Sultana refusing to enter the conference hall on Saturday in solidarity with delegates expelled over links to other leftwing parties, which she called a “witch-hunt”. Members of other parties will be eligible to join only after their party has been ratified as aligned with Your Party’s values.
Opening the conference on Saturday, Corbyn called for unity and acknowledged “mistakes” in the party’s foundation. He described it as a “unique opportunity” to build “a socialist party of mass appeal” against a “triopoly” in parliament. A shortlist of potential names – Your Party, Our Party, Popular Alliance and For The Many – will be announced later on Sunday.
The party’s launch has been marred by internal conflict, a botched membership launch and threats of legal action. Two other independent MPs, Adnan Hussain and Iqbal Mohamed, withdrew from the founding process partly due to infighting. Your Party also faces competition from the Greens, who have gained momentum under leader Zack Polanski.
